Jews for Allah

Jewsweek ^ | 9-9-03

[SJackson]

	October 7, 2003

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Jews for Allah

It began as a joke, but it's now all too real. Adopting the same methodology of Jews for Jesus, a Web site is trying to tell you it's OK to be a Jew and follow Mohammed too.

by Alexandra Alter

October 3, 2003

It began as sort of a joke. Mohamed Ghounem, 32, a mild-mannered, laid-off telecom worker who lives with his wife and daughter in suburban Connecticut, says it was the headline "Christ Converts to Islam" in the satirical newspaper The Onion that gave him the idea for his Web site, JewsforAllah.com.

At first, he laughed. Then he thought, "Why not?" Ghounem, whose religious pedigree includes a year of study at al-Azhar, the world's foremost institute of Sunni Islamic learning, said he felt frustrated by Muslims' lack of evangelical activity.

		The curious conversion

		Jewsforallah.com

Although Muslims are the world's fastest growing religious group with more than a billion adherents, they haven't been active enough in the battle for Jewish souls, Ghounem says. "Muslims haven't been doing it," he says. "The Muslim attitude, unfortunately, was 'Jews will never convert'."

But why target Jews, fellow monotheists whose faith is regarded by many as Islam's closest relative, and who the Quran describes as "People of the Book?" According to Ghounem's reasoning, to help the Jews, who remain dangerously ignorant of Mohammed's prophecy, and, in the long run, to turn Israel into an Islamic state.

Ghounem's goals, while seen by many as laughably far-fetched, have outraged leaders of Jewish counter-missionary groups who have already been fighting off Christian evangelists for decades and are wary of new attempts to convert Jews by aggressive or deceptive means.

A fervent admirer of Moishe Rosen, the founder of the messianic group Jews for Jesus, Ghounem has studied the groups' tactics and adopted their rhetoric. Like Jews for Jesus, an organization renowned for claiming a Jew who believes in Jesus is a "completed Jew," Ghounem says converts can maintain their Jewish cultural identity and observe Jewish holidays. He stresses Judaism and Islam's shared lineage of prophets and their similar dietary laws. And, in language almost identical to his Christian mentors, he insists that a true Jew follows Mohammed.

"If you're a true Torah follower, you'll believe in Mohammed, because he's predicted in the Torah," Ghounem says.

He also argues Jews can liberate themselves from the stringent demands of their religion by embracing Islam. "The holy Quran is a mercy to Jews," Ghounem says. "A lot of the things in the Torah, they're not going to have to do anymore."

The suggestion that Judaism's proximity to Islam justifies conversion remains odious to many, however, who see Ghounem's efforts as an affront to both religions. "What this guy is doing is a disservice to both faith systems," says Scott Hillman, executive director of Jews for Judaism, a group that seeks to educate and protect Jews from evangelical groups. "If he's going to say, 'Judaism is fulfilled by Islam,' he's saying Islam is incomplete."

Others say Ghounem is simply acting on the centuries-old impetus for people of all faiths to seek converts. Ibrahim Hooper of the Council for American Islamic Relations says Ghounem's objectives are in keeping with the principles of Islam, which encourages evangelism. "Muslims are encouraged to present accurate and balanced information about their faith to people of all religions," Hooper says.

Before he set out to convert Jews, Ghounem underwent a conversion of his own, from being an American college student who was mostly ignorant about his faith, to a self-fashioned Muslim scholar combating the pervasive myths about Islam he encountered on the Internet.

Ghounem, who immigrated to the United States from Egypt at age six, says his knowledge of Islam was tenuous when he graduated from Western Connecticut University with a degree in engineering. After returning to Cairo for a year to study at al-Azhar, Ghounem began spending hours a night in chat-room debates with Messianic Jews and Christians.

Unlike Jews for Jesus, Ghounem has no sponsors and no missionaries; he relies solely on the Internet for outreach. His Web site, which has had more than one million visitors since it was launched three years ago, has attracted about 200 "converts" who use it as a support group. It also provides a forum for Ghounem to address misconceptions about Islam, like the idea that Islam was spread by the sword, that the Quran is anti-Semitic, and that Jews and Muslims worship different gods.

Leaders of Jewish counter-missionary organizations claim they aren't overly concerned by Ghounem's efforts, saying the content of his Web site is so outrageous that most people don't pay attention. "This is a freak show, a side show," says Rabbi Tovia Singer, the head of Outreach Judaism, a group that works to bring converts back into the fold.

Moreover, they say Ghounem's background as an Egyptian-born Sunni Muslim probably doesn't help his quest for Jewish converts. "Ghounem wasn't a Jew in the first place. The Jews for Jesus founder was at least a convert who was Jewish," Hillman says.

Ghounem may not be Jewish, but the man who he has described as his alter ego, Yousef al Khattab, was born a Jew. The 35-year-old Brooklyn native, once known as Joseph Cohen, now lives in the Arab quarter of Jerusalem, where for the past three years he has operated the Web site JewstoIslam.com. Though the two men have never met, they monitor each other's progress and frequently chat online.

While Ghounem's site may invite ridicule, al Khattab's has been attacked with viruses, threats, and complaints. With links such as "My Heroes the Taliban" and "Freaky Jewish Stuff," which details such familiar anti-Semitic myths as rabbis sucking babies' blood, it is no wonder the site has been taken down several times.

As a former Jew preaching conversion amid the treacherous political and religious fault lines dividing Israel, al Khattab is a far more controversial figure than Ghounem. His transformation from being an ultra-Orthodox American Jew to a fundamentalist Muslim gives him license to preach a higher level of invective against Jews than his Gentile counterparts, says Singer, who says al Khattab threatened his life by posting his home address on the Internet and inviting Muslims to "visit him at his home."

"Jews who've converted to Islam are disenfranchised and self-hating," Singer says. "When you listen to them, you will hear virulent hatred toward Judaism. Their message is pregnant with hate."

But al Khattab, who denies ever having contact with Singer, says it is Judaism, rather than Jews, that he opposes, arguing that Jews have been misled by their rabbis. "Muslims are all inclusive and the whole message of Islam is to invite Jews, Nazis, capitalists, all religions and beliefs," al Khattab said in an e-mail.

Al Khattab, who has converted 11 Jews, said he was attracted by Islam's clear message of obedience to God. He seems unfazed by charges that he supports the goals of terrorists (he has called on Muslims to take up arms against Jews who don't convert), or by other Muslims' initial suspicions that he was a member of Mossad, the Israeli secret service.

"When we become Muslims we do this for the sake of Allah all mighty alone," he says. "We don't care if Muslims or non-Muslims approve of our goals."

Ghounem, who shares al Khattab's goal of turning Israel into an Islamic state, has chosen a different approach, however, taking careful stock of opinions about his Web site and often adjusting its content to appease critics. He took down a link about Sufism, the mystical strain of Islam, after some of his more orthodox fans complained Sufism is a fringe movement alien to Islam.

Ghounem said he recognizes converts risk alienation from both faiths, but hopes his Web site might lead to dialogue between Muslims and Jews. Well, that and one other thing. "My goal is to surpass Jews for Jesus, which I consider 100 percent inevitable," he said enthusiastically.

[Lazamataz]

I'm not confused about this ....... I consiser you a threat to me and my way of life. We are enemies.

Extremist Muslims, particularly Wahabbists, are to be dispatched upon contact.

However, if someone wants to worship all that Islam stuff and not be extremist, etc, I have no problem with that.

Of course, after 9/11, my extremism-threshhold is quite low. :o)

[G.Mason]

"However, if someone wants to worship all that Islam stuff and not be extremist, etc, I have no problem with that."

I have seen no indication of "non-extremist" attitude.

Until then, I prefer to keep them at bay, as I would any perceived enemy.

As any peaceful man, I wish to live in peace also.

[LexBaird]

It seems that you all are confused about what Islam is. I'm a Muslim. It is clear from our holy book, The Qur'an, that a person is only a Muslim by his actions.

Well, you've got a big problem, then. It isn't that Christians and Jews don't see Islam your way; it's that large populations of your co-religionists don't see it your way. They see it as an excuse and reason for murdering other humans who disagree with them.

If Islam practiced what you claim it preaches, Christians would regard it much as we do Bhuddism: a faith of millions, but not a threat to civilization, as the Taliban are.

[DannyTN]

"Well, he's predicted there about as much as J*sus is. "

I'm not sure what they think prophesizes Mohammed, but the following does speak to Jesus.

Prophecy Synopsis: Seed of a woman
Scripture References: Genesis 3:15; Galatians 4:4
"And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." (Gen. 3:13-15)
"Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." (Galatians 4:4-5)

Prophecy Synopsis: Descendant of Abraham
Scripture References: Genesis 12:3; Matthew 1:1
"Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. " (Genesis 12:1-3)
"The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; ... And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. " (Matthew 1:1-2, 16)

Prophecy Synopsis: Descendant of Isaac
Scripture References: Genesis 17:19; Luke 3:34
" Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? 17:18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! 17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. " (Genesis 17:17-19)
"...Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor... Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God." (Luke 3:34, 38)

Prophecy Synopsis: Descendant of Jacob
Scripture References: Numbers 24:17; Matthew 1:2
" I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. " (Numbers 24:17)
" The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;" (Matthew 1:1-2)

Prophecy Synopsis: From the Tribe of Judah
Scripture References: Genesis 49:10; Luke 3:33
" Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. " (Genesis 49:9-10)
" And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, ...Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God." (Luke 3:23, 33)

In addition Moses prophesized that a prophet would be raised like him.

The following link discusses the Messiah and the old Testament with a chapter on the Pentateuch which is deeper into Rabinical writings than I have knowledge of.

Messiah and Old Testament

Also Jesus was foreshadowed in the Torah at least a couple of times.

• When God asked Abraham to sacrifice his first born son and then provided a substitute sacrifice.
• When God had Moses raise a statue of a serpent and nail it to a tree it and Israel had to look to it to be healed when bitten by serpents. (This was a foreshadowing of Christ who became sin for us and was nailed to a tree, and to whom we must look to be healed (saved) when we sin.)

[Bilbo Baggins]

Or FReepers for DemocraticUnderground?

[Zionist Conspirator]

I realize I'm unlikely to get you to reconsider your views, but I hope you at least understand that I used to believe just as you do. Since I already know all the arguments you can make and have rejected them you sure aren't going to change mine.

All your arguments are based on an uncritical assumption that the "new testament" is an authentic continuation of the "old" and equally inspired. What if you did not assume this off the bat? Your "proving" that the "new testament" is a continuation of the "old" by quoting its own claims is a logical fallacy known as "affirmation of the consequent," and moreover assumes the dangerous theory of "progressive revelation," wherein revealtion starts out low and progresses to ever higher and more important levels. This has led not only to an unending number of religions claiming to be "the final stage" but to liberalism itself, which holds that newer is always superior. Judaism, to the contrary, believes in yeridat hador, the notion that Revelation began at the absolute peak and goes down from there.

Since I know where you come from, I know the depth of your belief. I wish there were more Torah Jews who believed with your intensity and simplicity. But unfortunately for too many Jews "live and let live" has gone from being a necessary pragmatic strategy to a theological ideology ("tolerance" of all--except the "intolerant").

[DannyTN]

"but I hope you at least understand that I used to believe just as you do. "

I don't believe that you believed as I do. Because I don't believe that you could abandon your faith in light of such certain revelation from the God.

"Your "proving" that the "new testament" is a continuation of the "old" by quoting its own claims is a logical fallacy known as "affirmation of the consequent," and moreover assumes the dangerous theory of "progressive revelation," wherein revealtion starts out low and progresses to ever higher and more important levels."

While I do have the benefit of knowlege of the New Testament. The foundation is indeed the Old and does not need the New to interpret it. Isaiah 9:6 and Isaiah Chapter 53 are crystal clear to anyone who wants to read them. You don't need the New Testament telling you what the Old said to understand the Old.

The Old says repeatedly that "none are righteous". The old says "atonement is in the blood". The Old says that the righteous servant would "bare the sins of many". The Old is the foundation. If the New dissagreed with the Old, I would have to throw the New out. But it doesn't. It fulfills the Old. Unlike the Koran or the Book of Mormon which must cast doubt on the Old and New in order for the new work to be accepted, the New Testament never casts doubt on the Old. I reject your claim that Christianity is built upon "Progressive Revelation". More may be revealed in Christianity than in Judaism but not that much more. And nothing contradictory. What does Christainity teach that wasn't in Judaism? The Messiah? There. Love your neighbor? There. Forgive others as God forgives you? There. Revelations of the End Time? See Exekiel and Daniel.

[DannyTN]

I will agree with you that Christianity often uses the New Testament to shed light on the Old. But there is more than ample stand alone evidence in the Old to confirm the New, to confirm Jesus as the Messiah. And then once the New is confirmed of course we see the New reflected in the Old. We see Jesus reflected everywhere in the Old like a house of mirrors.

Take a look at the following site. That does a better job of showing how often Christ is reflected in the Old Testament than my last couple of posts to you. The number of times that Christ is either prophesized, foreshadowed or a Type of Christ exists, in just in the first five books alone is astounding.

Christ in all the Scriptures

[DannyTN]

See the question is, "Why do you believe the Old Testament? Is it...

• Because of the way Moses was confirmed before multiple nations with amazing miracles?
• Because of the purity of the message relative to any other religion in the world?

For me it's both. But when it comes to the New Testament I have...

• additional amazing miracles confirming Jesus, which are more recent and easier to confirm that the Mosaic mircles are.
• The Prophecy of the Old Testament which told of Jesus.
• The purity of the message, which has not changed.

And I find no discord between the two. I see the same exact God in Yahweh of the Old Testament and Jesus of the New Testament. Loving, Merciful, Just and yes Righteously Angry at sin. The God that ordered the destruction of the Canaanites is the same God that drove the money changers out of the Temple with a scourge. He's the same God that prophesized the destruction of Jerusalem for failing to recognize the time of their "visitation". He's the same God that will take the world through terrible judgements in the coming Tribulation.

Yet he always stands ready to forgive, to cover man with His own shed blood, if man will repent.

[Salem]

Look, all. A Muslim apologist on Free Republic.

Hey, Joe, my name's Mike. Tell all your friends about me.



If you'd like to be on or off this
Christian Supporters of Israel ping list,
please FR mail me. ~
    
Letter To The President In Support Of Israel ~
'Final Solution,' Phase 2 ~

[Salem]

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AMERICA AT WAR

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[Prodigal Son]

Do not hyperlink to any graphics!

Why not?

[Destro]

Islam is both a political and a religious system and thus incompatible with the principals of Western civilization.

KNOW YOUR ENEMY: List of must read books exposing Islam

In fact its existance is a threat to Western Civilization since Islam's goal has always been the conquest and conversion of Roman civilization (modern day Western civilization). It is a tenet of Islamic faith that first Constantinople would be taken for Allah followed by Rome. One down, one to go, eh?

Said the Holy Prophet PBUH: "You will invade the Arabian Peninsula and God will grant it. Then Persia and God will grant it. Then you shall invade Ar-Rum (Europe) and God will grant it. Then you shall attack the Antichrist and God shall give him to you"The Messenger of God was then asked "which of the two cities will be conquered first - Constantinople or Rome?" and the Holy Prophet PBUH replied : " The city of Heraclius (Constantinople) will be conquered FIRST"

[Prodigal Son]

That's what your post says:

America at war. Do hyperlink to any graphics.

I was just wondering why.

[Salem]

"I was just wondering why."

What browser are you using? Internet Explorer?

[Lion in Winter]

Why are you here???? Isn't there an islamic organized "Jew and Christian hating" jihad waiting for you SOMEPLACE ELSE?

I really do NOT care what your koran(fiction) says... 9/11 told me as much about the KORAN believers and the koran, than I ever, EVER.... wanted to know!

[Lion in Winter]

"Islam and the Onion. Both full of sick jokes."

Boy- howdy they sure are!!!!

[Prodigal Son]

Yep. Why.

[Lion in Winter]

YEAH!!! Good for you !!

[Lion in Winter]

BTTT